


once upon a time...

by Mayarene Rose (Paradise_of_Mary_Jane)



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Dick is basically a disney princess, Fluff, Getting Back Together, M/M, Roy is a knight errant, Slow Burn, This was just supposed to be a Cinderella AU but things got away from me, ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23394928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paradise_of_Mary_Jane/pseuds/Mayarene%20Rose
Summary: The announcement is the talk of the kingdom. Men on horses, coming from the capital itself, shout it to every corner of the land to make sure everyone hears.There will be a three-day festival held in honor of the crown prince’s name day!So of course, no one can shut up about it andeveryone’smaking plans to make their way to the capital, one way or another.Gotham, after all, isn’t known for its decadence. Celebrations from the capital are few and far in between. But, it’s also well known that the king absolutely dotes on his children. The has the makings of being the biggest feast anyone has seen in their lifetime.“Huh,” Roy says. He’s in a farming village when he hears, about five days ride from the capital if he had a horse, which he does not.Or the one where Roy is a knight errant, Dick is the crown prince, and there is a three-day celebration.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Roy Harper
Comments: 17
Kudos: 104
Collections: Dick & The Titans, everybody loves dick





	once upon a time...

**Author's Note:**

> Listen, I wrote this in a week. I don't even know where it came from but also I've been stuck at home for too long.
> 
> Also, I hesitated tagging this as slow burn, but I think it counts? ~~I don't consider anything less than 50k words a slow burn, but i think that's a me problem.~~
> 
> Anyway, please enjoy these two idiots dance around each other for 11k words :D

The announcement is the talk of the kingdom. Men on horses, coming from the capital itself, shout it to every corner of the land to make sure everyone hears. 

_There will be a three-day festival held in honor of the crown prince’s name day!_

So of course, no one can shut up about it and _everyone’s_ making plans to make their way to the capital, one way or another.

Gotham, after all, isn’t known for its decadence. Celebrations from the capital are few and far in between. But, it’s also well known that the king absolutely dotes on his children. The has the makings of being the biggest feast anyone has seen in their lifetime.

“Huh,” Roy says. He’s in a farming village when he hears, about five days ride from the capital if he had a horse, which he does not. 

Still, he has more than a large amount of coin at the moment from his last quest. It won’t be too difficult to make arrangements. He’d have to go to a bigger town, sure, but he can make time for that. It’s not like he has anything better to do.

The announcement is a surprise, but a convenient one. At any rate, Roy thinks it may be time he returned to the capital. He hasn’t been there in more than ten years; he’s not been banned or chased away, but still. There are bad memories in that city and too many resentments he still hasn’t quite forgiven.

Still, he might do it. 

He remembers the familiar scent of cinnamon and cider and can’t help the longing that fills his chest. He thinks the promise of seeing those familiar blue eyes would be more than enough for him to return. Enough time has passed, he thinks, for those old hurts to be forgiven.

Besides, it’s not as if Roy has much choice in the matter. He has, after all, a new quest and more than one promise left to keep.

\--

The mask he bought is a simple thing, painted red with solid black eyes made of glass and patterns of green and yellow spread across the cheeks. It’s a good fit, covering his entire face. He got it from one of the merchants who’d set up a stall for the celebration and it seems like a good idea. He doesn’t want to be found by the wrong people, after all.

It does absolutely nothing to hide his red hair, though, but Roy’s counting on that. After all the trouble he went through to get back into Gotham, it’d be a real shame if he goes unnoticed by the one person he wants to notice him.

It takes him a while to push his way to the center of the crowd. It’s only the first night, but it seems as if the entire kingdom is celebrating. Everywhere he turns, there are bards playing instruments and singing songs, townsfolk dancing, children running through the streets. There are more stalls than Roy can count, selling all kinds of things from snacks to trinkets.

Above them, streamers and banners in the royal family’s colors hung from every post and windowsill. 

Roy can’t help but grin underneath the mask. It’s hard not to. The joy in the air is absolutely infectious _._ And if anyone had told him ten years ago that _Gotham_ of all places would be a site of such celebration, he’d have laughed in their face. But if anyone could do it…

It happens in less than a moment: the lightest touch on his hair and his mask is falling--no, being pulled away--and Roy is left open and exposed for all the world to see.

Just like he planned, really.

“Excuse me, traveler,” a voice behind him says, and with it comes the familiar scent of cinnamon and cider. “You seem lost. Can you tell me what you’re looking for? Maybe I can help.”

Roy barely restrains himself from letting out a delighted laugh as he turns around.

He comes face to face with the prince, who’s looking at Roy with a wide smile and shining blue eyes, clad in his signature blue and gold. It shouldn’t work as a combination, but Roy’s long since decided that the man can turn up to court dressed in rags and still be the most enchanting person in the room.

Not that he has much competition, mind, but that’s just besides the point.

“Well, hello there,” he says. “Now that I find myself face to face with what must be the fairest face in all the land, I am obliged to ask this person to dance.”

“Is that so?”

“That is so.”

The prince doesn’t respond right away. But, if Roy’s eyes aren’t deceiving him, he’d swear the man’s cheeks are tinged with pink.

Delightful. Just absolutely delightful. Roy hasn’t had this much fun in years.

“Dancing with lost travelers doesn’t seem like a good idea,” the prince says, voice even and amused. It makes Roy’s smile something softer (truer) than what he normally wears.

The prince looks well, he thinks. The years have been kind to him. Whatever changes he sees, it’s only for the better: the relaxed set to his shoulders, the confident tilt of his chin. He looks more at ease, somehow, although that may be just Roy’s eyes playing tricks on him.

The prince is holding Roy’s mask in his hands. He’s not wearing one of his own. There’s a small, silver hairpiece on his head, easily missed, but there nonetheless; the only thing marking him as part of the royal family and not just another noble born son here for the celebration.

Everything about him is so beautiful and so achingly familiar that Roy’s almost overwhelmed with the urge to reach out, to _touch,_ to take the prince into his arms, hold him, and never let go.

( _It was a warm, spring day, the day he left. Almost too beautiful for the painful scar it left on Roy’s memories._

_It had been a sudden thing; one moment, he had been playing with Dick and Donna in the lake, and the next, he’s leaving with only the clothes on his back and more regrets than he can count._

_Dick walked with him until the edges of the kingdom, even as Roy knew he had countless duties as crown prince. He hadn’t said anything, hadn’t asked any questions, not until they reached the end of the path and Roy was about to go off where Dick couldn’t follow._

_“Are you really leaving?” Dick asked, looking unsure in a way Roy had never seen before. “Are you--I can talk to Bruce, convince Ollie to let you--”_

_“Don’t bother,” Roy said, the_ last _thing he said before turning and walking away, never to look back for another ten years._

_“Roy,” Dick called out. “Roy, wait.”_

_Roy fell still. For just a moment._

_“Roy please let me--” Dick cut himself off. There was a strange emotion in his voice, something Roy never heard before. “Please. Wherever you go, I wish you well. I hope you find what you’re looking for. And I--I hope you’re happy Roy.”_

_And Roy could have turned back then, could have explained himself to Dick, could have been_ kinder, _at the very least, but he didn’t. After a single moment of stillness, before Dick even finished his words, Roy began walking again._

_And just like that, Roy left.)_

“I’m not lost,” Roy says. “I’m on a noble quest.”

A raised eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Of course,” Roy says. “I _am_ a knight errant. Quests are our reason for existing.” Not that Roy’s actually a knight nor has he described himself as that in nearly a decade. With his ragged clothing and worn boots, no one would believe him noble born anyway. The only thing he kept was the sword from his life before, and even that is mostly hidden.

Roy likes it better that way, at any rate. Less expectations, less judgements, less rules. It’s easier to get things done when you’re free from the constraints of nobility.

(And there are much less people questioning his archery skills. 

Knights are known for many things. Archery has never been one of them.)

“Then I would know your quest, ser knight,” the prince says. He ties Roy’s mask around his belt quickly and with ease. Roy can’t seem to tear his eyes from those nimble fingers. “And how I can be of assistance.”

“I heard the king is throwing a three-day celebration to celebrate his eldest’s name day,” Roy says.

“That is true.”

“I heard that it’s to be the biggest festival of the year and everyone from every corner of the kingdom is invited, regardless of status,” Roy says.

A grimace. Roy almost bursts out laughing from the look of it alone. “You heard correctly.”

“There is to be good food and good wine, flowing non-stop for the duration of the celebration.”

“I certainly hope it’s true,” the prince says, casting a gaze around the crowd that’s only growing bigger and louder by the second. “Although, with how things are going today, I can’t be sure. It’s only the first day, after all.”

“I have good faith in the palace’s kitchens,” Roy says. “And the third prince’s organizational skills.”

“And you are right to do so,” the prince says. “But you still have not told me your quest, ser knight.”

“I have also heard,” Roy says, “that the crown prince of Gotham is the fairest face in all the lands across the world.”

A pause. It’s hard to tell in the half-light of the lanterns, but the prince’s ears are definitely tinged pink as well. Roy is finding the entire conversation _very_ enjoyable indeed. “Whoever told you that exaggerates,” he says.

“Oh, I doubt it,” Roy says. “I have very _reliable_ sources.”

“Is that so?”

“That is so.”

“Inaccurate rumors aside,” the prince says evenly, ignoring Roy’s raised eyebrow. “I still don’t know what your quest is, ser knight.”

“I’m on a quest to put the sweetest smile on the crown prince’s face by dancing with him, of course” Roy says. “What better quest is there? And what better boon to hear a beloved prince’s laughter on his name day? Once I accomplish this, no knight will be able to greater deeds than I.”

A beat of silence passes between the two of them where they just stare at each other. Roy’s grin doesn’t leave his face, and the prince’s lips are definitely twitching, no matter how much he attempts to suppress it. His eyes have softened and filled with that gentle, unnameable emotion that’s reserved for Roy.

A moment. Then two, then three.

Then, Dick lets out a laugh (and it is Dick. Not the prince with his gentle smile and intelligent eyes, but Dick with his wild laughter and eyes full of mischief), the sound sweet and true. He shoves Roy’s shoulder as he honest-to-god giggles. It rings loud and clear over the music and noise of the crowd.

It’s, quite possibly, the most beautiful thing Roy’s ever heard in his life.

“You’re the worst,” Dick tells Roy. “The absolute worst. That was the worst line I’ve heard in my entire life.”

Roy laughs as well, slinging an arm over Dick’s shoulder. He steers him away from the and Dick lets him. His body is loose and languid under Roy’s touch. It’s a strong, warm, and constant presence that Roy has no idea how he survived those years without it. 

( _“How long will you stay?”_

_“Forever, stupid. I’ll stay with you forever.”)_

“Dance with me?” Roy says. “You won’t deny this noble knight his quest, will you?”

“Funny, Roy,” Dick says. “Real funny.”

“But you liked it, right?” Roy says. “Come on, you always liked that kind of thing.”

“I have no idea where you got that idea.”

“Come on, little bird,” Roy teases. “You always laughed at my lines before. Your lips are twitching. I can see you trying to hold in your laughter.”

Dick snorts, but his lips remain firmly _shut_ and not laughing. He’s always been stubborn like that. “How have you stayed exactly the same?” he says. “Ten years and you still make the same bad jokes.”

“Jokes you loved.”

“Jokes I tolerated,” Dick corrects. They’ve reached a small courtyard, hidden and out of the way. It won’t stay that way for long but for now, most people are still in the main square. It’s probably as secluded a place as they can find. Aside from a few food stalls, some musicians, and a couple of dancing children, it’s just the two of them. 

“You told me you loved my jokes!”

“I loved you,” Dick says. “The jokes I could have lived without.”

Something stutters in Roy’s chest. He carefully lets go of Dick’s shoulder and leans against the stone wall, hoping the prince doesn’t notice how he can’t quite meet his eyes.

“I worked hard on those jokes you know,” Roy says lightly. The air here is quieter, a bit more peaceful. Somewhere, Roy can hear a lute playing delicate notes. He looks up and sees a sky full of stars, half hidden by lamp-light. 

“It never sounded like it,” Dick says without missing a beat. Roy forces himself to look back at him. He expects anger, judgement, at least something sharp and dangerous in those blue eyes. Or maybe wariness, mistrust. But he finds none of those things. All he sees is the same gentle and soft gaze that Dick always sends his way.

Roy looks away again.

The two of them fall into silence and Roy wonders if it’s as oppressive for Dick as it is for him. If the memory of their parting weighs him down as much as it does Roy, even after all these years, or if his heart and soul is as carefree and light as the music around them.

Dick appears completely at ease, but Roy knows better than to rely on that. Ten years ago, he would have been able to tell in an instant, but now.

But now is now, and it’s been ten years. Roy would be a fool to believe neither of them had changed.

He can feel Dick’s gaze on him. Roy really can’t bring himself to return it again. They’re in a part of the city he never really frequented when he lived there. The cobblestone streets are just too interesting to look at, really. 

“It’s been a long time since I last saw you,” Dick says. “Ten years, isn’t it? How have you been, Roy?”

“Oh, you know,” Roy says. “Living the life of a knight errant. Wandering the lands, saving villagers, defeating the monsters. Life is good. Can’t complain, really.”

There’s movement, the shuffling of feet, as Dick leans into the wall right next to Roy. Roy forces him to look up and turn to Dick. Their shoulders aren’t quite brushing, but he’s close enough for Roy to take comfort in his presence.

“Yes,” Dick says, “I’ve heard all your exploits.”

That surprises Roy. “You’ve heard of what I’ve been doing?”

Dick lets out a quiet laugh. 

“Everyone’s heard what you’re doing, though you’re rarely named,” he says. “Still, you’re easy enough to recognize. There’s not many knights out there with flaming red hair and prefers bows and arrows to swords. You’ve become quite popular.”

“Oh,” Roy says. 

“The kingdom can’t get enough of your adventures,” Dick tells him. “Every week or so, a bard would enter our gates telling us how you slayed a dragon and distributed its horde to the nearby villages--”

“I didn’t _slay_ the dragon,” Roy protests. “We talked for a while and she was actually pretty fun to hang around--”

“Or how you freed a helpless princess from her imprisonment in a tower--”

“Have care with your words! Mia won’t hesitate to stab anyone who calls her ‘helpless.’”

“And there was that one man who insisted you climbed a beanstalk to the land of the giants and stole of their gold.”

“ _That_ was the result of a drunken bet and I will regret it for the rest of my life,” Roy says. “And I didn’t steal their gold. I stole their goose!”

“That lay golden eggs.”

“Cursed thing,” Roy says with a shudder. “Have you ever tried carrying a goose, Dick? Have you ever tried _touching_ one? It will fight you to hell and back if you so much as go near it. It nearly pecked me to death before I took two steps. 

“The giantess heard all the ruckus, found me trying not to lose my life to a _bird,_ and laughed.”

Dick snorts again. “I would have paid all the gold in the kingdom to see that,” he says.

“If you must know, she was utterly charmed by me,” Roy says. “She found the situation hilarious and said she’s not had that kind of entertainment in nearly a century. I got away with my life and as much gold as I can carry.” Evil birds aside, that had been one of his better exploits. The gold he brought back got several villages through the winter.

“It sounds as if you’ve been having a great time,” Dick says. “Living the life we always dreamed of. Just like those stories we read as children.”

“It’s not nearly as glamorous,” Roy says. “Or as perfect. There are hungry nights, and injuries, and harsh winters.” It’s hard, wandering the land, especially if you’re on your own. Roy learned that as a child, before Ollie had taken him in. He had to relearn it when he struck out on his own as a young man.

“I remember,” Dick says and Roy doesn’t doubt that he does. Most people have probably already forgotten, as beloved as their crown prince is, but Dick never has, and neither has Roy.

Their people had never been of this land. Before the king took him in, Dick was a wanderer, same as his parents before him and their parents before them. 

He wonders how much of that life Dick remembers. He wonders how much of it his soul still longs for.

( _“Have you ever dreamed of running away? Of leaving the palace and disappearing into the sunset? Have you ever dreamed of going back home?”_

_Silence. For a long time just silence. Then,_

_“Everyday.” A whispered confession. “I want to do it so much my heart aches.”_ )

“But are you happy?” Dick asks. “With the life you chose?”

Roy thinks of cold nights in nameless inns and small villages, he thinks of sleeping under the stars, without walls or a roof to guard him from the harsh wind. He thinks of the ache of longing, of the memory of wild laughter and running through cities without a care in the world, that unmistakable scent of cinnamon and cider alongside gentle blue eyes.

Roy forces himself to raise his head and look at Dick. Dick who’s looking at him, a little sad but infinitely gentle. Hopeful. Kind. Giving him the look that only belonged to Roy. 

It’s been ten years and the way he looks at Roy hasn’t changed. It puts a lump in his throat even as warmth spreads through his chest.

Roy thinks of Ollie and Dinah and Dick and everyone he left behind. After all the adventures he’s had, the people he saved, the stories he’s collected, he thinks of the person he was ten years ago and the person he is now.

“I am,” Roy says honestly. “I am happy.” He has many regrets and made many mistakes, but he wouldn’t change anything for the world. 

It’s not perfect, but he’s proud of the life he’s lived.

Dick’s face breaks out into a smile, small and soft and so very, very sweet. Roy’s heart jumps to his throat and he finds that he cannot speak.

 _He’s beautiful,_ he thinks. _He’s the most beautiful thing in this world._

Somehow, he manages not to say those words out loud. Apparently, miracles can still happen.

“Then I’m glad,” Dick says. “I’m glad you found your happiness, Roy.”

 _I’m in love with him,_ Roy thinks, and it’s not a realization so much as it is an unquestionable truth. Roy loves Dick and he will always love Dick.

He loved Dick when he walked away back then. And now, with ten years of time and distance between them, Roy still loves Dick. Ten, twenty, _fifty_ years from now, when they’re old and bent and gray, Roy will continue to love him. Loving Dick is as much a part of him as his red hair and green eyes.

It’s not something he can get rid of and it’s not something he can run away from.

The thought doesn’t bring him the sense of dread it did when he was young. Now, with Dick looking at him with such honest and quiet happiness, with music flowing through the air, it only fills his chest with warmth.

\--

The silence between them after that is much more comfortable. 

Dick seems content with watching as people slowly wander into the courtyard. The music grows louder as the night passes. Couples and families have taken to dancing and Dick is watching it all with a small smile on his face. He’s always been quiet when it was just the two of them, as if the burden of being watched all the time is too much and he needs to retreat into himself for a while. To simply be himself instead of the person everyone needs him to be.

Roy is more than happy to let him do that for as long as he needs. Anything that brings that sort of contentment on Dick’s features is worth all the time in the world.

The two of them have found an alcove, not quite hidden but not easy to find, either. At some point, Dick’s hand had wandered towards Roy’s. He laced their fingers together. Roy’s heart had frozen, but he hadn’t protested. The moment was so quiet he barely believed it was real.

But he’s still here now, holding Dick’s hand. It’s more than what he dared hope for when he stepped into Gotham this morning.

(He hoped for a quiet word, a nod of acknowledgement perhaps. It was his name day, after all. The crown prince was sure to be too busy for the likes of Roy.

He never should have doubted Dick’s ability to exceed every expectation imaginable.

In the deepest depths of his heart, he also hoped for a short dance, perhaps, but he’d dismissed the thought as nothing more than folly.

Still, it can never hurt to ask.)

The music has turned slow. Couples have begun to pair up, wrapping their arms around each other, swaying to the gentle melody.

“Dick,” Roy says.

Dick hums, eyes trained on the courtyard.

“Dick,” Roy says. “Dance with me.”

Dick takes a long time to answer. “Is this a knight errant trying to court his prince?” he asks, gaze still distant. “I’ve heard the stories, you know? Am I just one of the maidens you dance with?”

His tone is teasing, playful even, but it still makes Roy’s heart beat far too quickly in his chest.

“No,” he says.

“Oh?”

“Yes,” Roy says. “There aren’t any maidens.”

“Men, then.”

“None.”

Dick lets out an amused laugh. “Don’t tell me you haven’t been asking every man and woman to dance at every feast, Roy,” he says. “I know how you are.”

“I’m not saying there are no men or women who’ve caught my eye, because of course there have been. It’s been ten years,” Roy says. “But I never asked them to dance. You’re the only one, Dick.”

He’s thought of it, of course; he’s met countless people in his travels. He’s known people he’s wanted to take into his arms, hold close to his chest, and dance with, except he never quite manages it. It’s not like he’s been _pining_ like some tragic lover. It’s just that…

The memory of Dick’s laughter never quite leaves him, nor the way his fingers fit so well when tangled with Roy’s.

Roy can never quite make himself move past the feel of Dick’s lips pressed softly against his, their breaths a mixture of laughter and something else. 

Roy expects Dick to laugh again, to make another joke, and for the conversation to move on. The night is warm and the music is beautiful and Roy really can’t ask for anything more.

Instead, Dick looks at him with that _look_ that’s just for Roy; the one full of emotions that Roy never understood, could never begin to untangle.

“You tease me,” Dick says quietly. “Teasing isn’t very knightly behavior.”

“Never.”

He’s so close, Roy realizes. So close that their faces are almost touching. Roy can feel the warmth of his breath, can count his lashes and see the exact shade of his eyes.

“Do you want to dance with me, your highness?” he hears himself say, sounding very far away.

“I want,” Dick says. “I want…”

“Yes?”

“I want,” Dick says. And he’s looking at Roy and Roy can’t make himself look away. If he just leans closer, if he closes that gap…

Dick pulls away suddenly. Not enough to make a big difference--their shoulders are still brushing--but he pulls away nonetheless. The moment shatters into a thousand fractals and Roy’s heart stutters in his chest.

And he lets go of Roy’s hand.

“I want,” Dick says, “to get some food.”

He straightens and gives Roy a blinding smile. Roy pastes a grin on his own face and tries to ignore the way his heart aches like a bruise.

“What his highness wants,” he says, “this knight errant will provide.”

\--

They get food. 

Dick still has his ridiculous propensity for sweets and he insists on paying for everything. Roy doesn’t even try to stop him. He knows to pick his battles. 

(Not that he could, really, or that he wants to. Roy really is quite the penniless knight errant. If a crown prince wants to spoil him with street food, even one as dear to Roy’s heart as Dick is, who is he to complain?)

Besides, he’s long since realized that there’s not much he wouldn’t give to make Dick smile.

They don’t talk about the moment. Roy thinks they should, but doesn’t quite know how to bring it up. _I’m sorry I left you without anything to remember me by, I’m sorry I hurt you, I don’t ever want to hear that kind of sadness in your voice and I didn’t know what to do._

_I love you so much. I love you so much that not being by your side hurts like a missing limb, like I lost my heart. Leaving you behind is the thing I regret the most._

_I know I hurt you and I have no right to ask for anything, but will you dance with me again? Even if it’s for the last time?_

But Roy’s always been a coward when it comes to Dick. In the end, he doesn’t say anything even as Dick holds his hand through the festival.

Maybe especially because Dick is holding his hand through the festival. In their entire time together, he never lets go of Roy’s hand even as he never quite meets his eyes.

It’s Roy who lets go once the clock strikes midnight. 

He says, “I have to go.” 

Dick looks at him. His eyes are an odd mix of sad, happy, and that unnameable emotion.

“Will I see you again tomorrow?” he asks.

Roy thinks he should say no. He’s gotten what he wanted; he’s seen Dick and spent a magical night with him. It’s all he could ask for. Looking for something where there is nothing is an inherently bad idea.

But then, Roy’s never claimed to have any good ideas when it comes to the crown prince. 

“Of course,” he says, and pretends he doesn’t feel pure joy coursing through his veins when Dick gives him the most beautiful smile in all the land. “My quest isn’t finished, after all. I’m getting that dance, your highness.”

Dick unties the mask from his belt and hands it back to Roy. “Then until tomorrow, ser knight,” he says.

“I look forward to it, your highness,” Roy says. 

He turns and walks away before he can talk himself out of it, mask clasped tightly in his hands.

\--

That night, he collapses onto bed and falls asleep to the sound of a celebrating city.

His dreams are angry and he wakes fitfully. And everytime he does, he finds himself clutching the mask. Red and green and yellow, painted in abstract, chaotic patterns. Dick’s favorite colors, he belatedly realizes.

He hadn’t even been thinking about that when he bought the thing. Just goes to show.

The scent of cinnamon, cider, and sweat linger in the air. 

Roy’s heart beats too loudly in his chest and he falls asleep thinking of eyes blue like the depths of the ocean.

\--

_Their first kiss happened as if in a dream._

_It happened in the middle of the night, while they were huddled in the largest garden in the castle, giggling like children after successfully sneaking out._

_“Let’s run away together,” Roy says, breathless with delight. “Just like those stories. Let’s leave this place and strike out on our own. Fight monsters, save maidens, find treasure.”_

_Dick laughs, stealing a second kiss and a third and a fourth. “You can’t even swim,” he says. “How are you supposed to fight dragons?”_

_“What does swimming have to do with fighting dragons?!”_

_“Everything,” Dick says seriously. “Obviously you haven’t been reading enough if you don’t even know that.”_

_Roy laughs as well, and if he takes a fifth and a sixth kiss, well who’s keeping count, really?_

_“One day,” he says. “One day I’m going to steal you away from this place and we’ll run off into a sunset together.”_

_“I believe you,” Dick says, before kissing him again._

\--

The second night is, if possible, much grander than the first. There are more people and the music is much louder. And so much food, entire tables overflowing with meats, drinks, pastries, and just about every dish under the sun. The delight in the air is palpable as person after person passes through the streets, hand in hand and flowers in the air, dancing to songs sung at the top of their lungs.

Everyone is more than a little drunk and filled with too much good food, which just makes everything rowdier.

Roy hardly notices any of it. 

He puts on his mask and returns to the small courtyard. Dick is already waiting for him when he gets there, sitting on the ground without a care in the world. He’s still wearing blue and gold, but simpler this time; not the clothes of a prince, barely even the clothes of a rich merchant. The hairpiece is missing as well.

Roy almost asks, but thinks better of it. If Dick wants to hide from Bruce… Well, it wouldn’t be the first time. It was an almost daily thing back when they were children. It’s probably not strange enough to warrant a comment.

Besides, he gets a little distracted with the way Dick’s face lights up the moment he catches sight of Roy. He could never figure out how one person could look as if the entire sun was shining from his smile the way Dick does.

His heart aches with longing, with want, and with love. He really cannot comprehend how he can manage to love one person this much, even after this long.

It seems too similar to those stories they read together as children to be real. And yet…

(Dick looks at him with eyes made of blue stars and Roy falls and falls and falls.)

“Dance with me,” Roy says. 

“You’re not even taking off your mask?” Dick says. 

“Only if you want me to. Do you want to look into my eyes that badly, your highness?” It doesn’t really matter to Roy either way, but he likes the way Dick blushes. It always makes him laugh, watching pink creeping up the prince’s cheeks like that.

“I brought you food,” Dick says and Roy can’t help but laugh harder. Dick ignores him, revealing a handful of small cakes and pastries, clearly taken from the palace kitchens. “Eat with me. I know they’re your favorite.”

“If I recall correctly, you’re the one with the sweet tooth.” Still, he takes one of the pastries. It is his favorite; the one with lemons and too much sugar. Roy doesn’t think he’s tasted anything this good in… Well, in ten years, he supposes.

Roy doesn’t sit down, though. Dick looks up at him with a raised eyebrow. Roy holds a hand out.

“Dance with me,” he says again. “The music’s too beautiful not to dance to and the night is still young. You won’t deny this knight errant a successful quest, will you? ”

Dick looks at him, tilting his head. He hesitates. For a moment, he looks as if he’s going to agree. Dick takes Roy’s hand and pulls himself up. Roy grins and he’s pretty sure he looks like a madman at this point with how happy his face looks. 

He can’t bring himself to care.

_Dance with me. Forgive me for leaving. Forgive me because I can’t stay. I haven’t seen you in ten years, but my heart still beats for yours the way it did when we were young._

“Dance with me, Dick,” Roy says softly. Dick looks at him, eyes so gentle, of that unnameable emotion, and Roy almost, _almost,_ lets hope back into his heart.

But then, Dick says, “I have a better idea. It’s going to be dangerous, though.”

The grin doesn’t quite fall off Roy’s face.

“You know me, your highness,” he says. “I _live_ for dangerous.”

\--

Roy’s faced dragons, he’s had tea with giants, he’s chased off overambitious wolves, but somehow, he is still not prepared for what Dick actually does. Dick does the most dangerous thing conceivable: he sneaks Roy into the palace.

“Dick,” he hisses, once they step into one of the service tunnels that lead into the royal kitchens. No one even looked twice at the two shabbily dressed men snaking their way past the crowd and towards the castle. Dick held Roy’s hand the entire way, even as they moved into familiar territory. “Dick what are you doing?”

“It’s going to be fine,” Dick says. “No one goes through here anyway.”

“These lead straight to the kitchens!”

“They’re all outside,” Dick says. “Everyone’s celebrating.” 

Everyone but them, Roy thinks, a touch sourly. He instantly feels terrible about it. Dick’s never liked grand celebrations the way other royalty do. He’s always hidden away with only a few friends in small alcoves or secret passages at the first opportunity, even in feasts held in his name. Roy knew that when he stepped back into Gotham. That’s simply how Dick is.

Still, he came all this way. He would have liked at least one dance.

“Besides,” Dick continues. “What does it matter if someone sees you?”

“The king’s gonna find out.”

“You’re still wearing your mask.”

“As if he won’t see right through it.”

“So?” Dick still sounds perplexed. They’ve entered the kitchen at this point. True to Dick’s word, it’s completely empty. The celebration must be really big, if even the palace staff are given the day off to go out and have fun. That or Dick asked for it. It sounds like something he would do, and the king never could deny him anything. “It’s not like Bruce is going to chase you out of the city with a sword.”

“That’s what you think.”

Dick stops him with a hand on his arm. His brow is furrowed. 

“He’s not going to do that, Roy,” he says.

Roy doesn’t answer. It’s not like he left Gotham on bad terms with anyone. Sure, he was brash and a little cocky in his youth, but he was well liked. There were some who never accepted his claim to nobility because he was _only_ adopted. But those people were generally smart enough not to _think_ those things in the city, where the king might pick up on it.

(He has many not-good things he’d like to say about Bruce Wayne, but Roy’s always admired how protective he was of his children.)

But despite all that, the king never approved of his friendship with Dick. He can only imagine how much that protectiveness and distrust has festered over the past decade. Especially after he left Dick the way he did.

Dick must read some of Roy’s apprehension on his face because he rolls his eyes and tugs Roy faster. The hallways are empty and completely silent. It’s eerie. Roy’s never seen or heard the castle like this. 

“Where are you taking me?” 

“Can’t you guess?” Dick asks.

Roy shrugs. He can, but where would the fun be in that? Besides, if he’s not going to get his dance, he might as well tease Dick. It really is delightful watching his cheeks turn pink. Even better if he gets a laugh from the prince out of it.

Roy’s pretty sure he can live off Dick’s laughter for the rest of his life.

“I haven’t been here in a long time,” he says. “And it’s not like you told me what we’re doing.”

Dick snorts. It’s not quite a laugh, but Roy counts it as a victory nonetheless. Still, it’s strange hearing the sound echoing in the empty corridor. He’s never seen the castle quite as empty as it is now. 

“Not even one guess?” Dick says.

“You know me, Dick,” Roy says. “I go whichever way the wind blows.”

“That’s true,” Dick says. “But usually you complain more about it.”

A pause. The palace is awfully quiet. Sure there’s a celebration, but it’s still a strange sight to see it practically empty. They haven’t seen one person the entire time they’ve been here. Roy wants to ask, he really does, but… 

Well, he doesn’t. He’s been gone a long time. Whatever’s going on in the castle really isn’t his business anymore.

(And maybe, just maybe, he’s heard one too many tales as a child about princesses sleeping in empty, abandoned castles, secluded away from the world for hundreds of years. 

When he was a child, Roy desperately wanted to be the knight who would fight the beast and save the princess. Now that he’s seen what he’s seen and already saved countless princesses from beasts, not so much.

But Dick’s awake and there’s the sound of a large celebration outside, so things are probably fine.

They’re _fine.)_

Instead, Roy says, “You’ve gotten meaner in your old age, your highness,” he says. “I remember you being such a sweet child.”

“And I remember you were better at banter than this.”

Roy laughs and Dick sends a small smile their way. He stops walking but doesn’t let go of Roy’s hand. They’re in one of the palace’s largest gardens, if it can even be called that. The grass is wild and untamed, growing in uneven patches on the ground. There are wildflowers everywhere, spread across the earth like an uncontrollable burst of color. Vines creep up the walls and there are the beginnings of great trees shooting up.

Roy’s breath catches in his throat.

“I see you’ve made some changes,” he says. He wonders what Dick sees, with the mask still on Roy’s face. Can he sense the wonder, the amazement, the undeniable affection that definitely make their way to his features?

Roy remembers what it was before he left: clean, carefully manicured, with rose bushes and orchids hanging off the walls. It was the first garden like that he’d ever seen and he remembers telling Dick how wrong it looked.

( _“It’s so strange seeing trees and flowers looking like that.”_

_“Looking like what?”_

_“Like they’re kept in a box to be stared at.”_ )

Dick shrugs like it doesn’t mean anything, like Roy’s heart isn’t pounding in his chest as he’s about to be overwhelmed by emotion. 

“I had a lot of time on my hands,” he says. “Do you remember what we used to do here?”

Well, they spent a lot of time there. Mostly hiding from the lessons they didn’t want to attend (Roy) or avoiding court duties (Dick). They must have done anything and everything there: steal food from the kitchen, have a picnic, and talk to each other for hours. They dug the earth and tried planting their own flowers. They sparred and danced and sang for all their worth. They told stories and made their own. When night came, they lay down on the perfectly manicured grass and watched the stars together. 

“Get in trouble?” Roy guesses. “Make a lot of messes until a servant loses their patience and chases us out? Get in more trouble?”

Dick laughs. “I was going to say we played, but you’re free to look at it that way.” 

Then, he sits down, back leaning against one of the larger trees, pulling Roy down with him. Roy lets him, of course.

“The palace is awfully quiet tonight,” Roy says. “Usually we’d have at least three servants hiding behind pillars and pretending they’re not keeping an eye on us by now.”

Dick lets out a breath, more sigh than laugh. “A lot’s changed in the past ten years, Roy,” he says. “We’re not kids anymore. I don’t need anyone watching over me.”

Roy watches Dick. For the first time since they met, the prince isn’t quite meeting his eyes, choosing instead to stare at the ground. He’s clutching Roy’s hand tightly enough to be almost painful. Roy wants to take off his mask, wants to make Dick look at him, wants to pull the truth from him using his eyes alone, just like when they were children.

But Dick’s right. They’re a long way from the children they once were.

“You’re hiding from them,” Roy says. “You’re scared of something.” The idea had been niggling at the back of his mind the moment Dick led him to a secluded courtyard last night. He’d thought it odd, in the beginning, that Dick wasn’t at the castle steps, dancing with everyone in sight. He’d never liked large crowds, sure, but he’d never be a bad host. And no matter how much he hated it, Dick always performed his duties to the letter.

Dick presses his lips together and doesn’t answer.

“You are,” Roy says. “What could be so terrible that you’re hiding from a feast held in your name?” Dick had never loved them, certainly, but Roy’s pretty sure they’re the least unpleasant task Dick the prince does. Sometimes, he even enjoys them; it’s hard not to with so much happiness surrounding you.

“Bruce wants me to take the throne,” Dick says, eyes still trained on the horizon. “He’s announcing it tomorrow. That’s why he’s throwing such a huge festival. Two birds with one stone, I suppose.”

“Why? Is the king ill or…”

“Nothing like that,” Dick says quickly. “Just tired. He’s fought hard to keep Gotham safe. I don’t blame him for wanting to take a step back. It’s not like it was a surprise or anything. He’s been preparing me for it for years.”

“Then isn’t that a good thing?” But even as he says it, his words ring hollow. Roy tries to imagine Dick sitting on a throne, a too large crown sitting on his head. He tries to imagine him wearing Bruce’s expression, that cold, impassive look, as he looks down at his subjects or makes laws or presides over courts.

It’s wrong, somehow, the same way flowers growing inside stone gardens is wrong; something as bright and beautiful as Dick was never meant to be trapped anywhere, even in the grandest, most beautiful castles. It’ll just end up killing him.

A faint smile appears on Dick’s lips. 

“Tim and Jason sounded the same when they found out,” he says. “Tim’s the reason the castle is empty right now, you know? I have no idea how he managed it, but he got everyone out. I’m probably going to owe him favors for the rest of my life.”

“And why did he make sure the castle is empty tonight?”

“Because I asked him to,” Dick says. “I didn’t tell him why, but I asked him to keep everyone away, even just for a night or two. I did it because I wanted to show you this garden and I know you’d prefer to avoid anyone from the castle.”

The thought of Dick thinking of bringing him to this garden, of asking his brother for help in doing so, sends an odd flutter through Roy’s chest, which he pointedly ignores because _not the time._

“Why did you bring me here, Dick?” Roy asks.

“I…” Dick trails off, eyes going distant. Roy finds himself absently rubbing circles on the back of Dick’s hand with his thumb. “I wanted you to see, I suppose. I thought you might have liked how it looks now. You always complained about how awful the roses looked before.”

“It looks much better now,” Roy says. “It looks like you’ve spent a lot of time here.”

It seemed unimaginable, seeing such a wild thing within castle walls, especially in a place like Gotham. But if anyone could pull off something so impossible through sheer force of will alone, it would be Dick. 

“Just when I was free,” Dick says. “It’s not that important.”

“It is,” Roy says. They’re sitting face to face now, sitting so close Roy can see the exact shade of blue in Dick’s eyes. Without seeming to think about it, Dick reaches out to place a hand on the back of Roy’s neck. His fingers are close enough to pull the ribbon and take the mask, like he did last night. 

What would he see, Roy wonders. The world has gone quiet; there’s only the pounding of his heart and Dick’s deep, blue eyes, staring at him with an emotion Roy can’t name.

“Dance with me,” Roy says.

“There’s no music, Roy.” He’s not wrong. Everything is so eerily silent and probably terrible for dancing. They’re deep enough in the castle. Whatever songs are being played outside have long since been lost through all that stone.

“I don’t care,” Roy says. “I haven’t seen you in ten years and--” _you’re still as beautiful as the day I left. I thought I could stop loving you when I walked away but all I could never forget you_ “--I just really want to dance with you, Dick. _Please._ ”

The hand on his neck tightens minutely. Roy’s stopped thinking, he’s stopped _breathing,_ and if Dick isn’t going to untie the mask, he’s going to do it himself. He’s going to look at Dick, and he’s going to lean in close, until their breaths mix together, until they breathe the same air, and then…

Dick pulls away and says, “Not like this.”

Roy draws away as if burned. He’s suddenly glad that he’s still wearing a mask because there’s no other way to cover up the hurt that’s undoubtedly on his face. 

“I see,” Roy says. It’s taking all his strength to not just run away then and there.

“That’s not what I meant,” Dick says. “It’s not--Wait, don’t leave yet. I just meant--”

“I think it’s best if I go, your highness,” Roy says, moving away even further. He knows when to retreat, knows that there are some things he just cannot have. A decade’s worth of separation and Roy was an absolute fool for thinking he could have what they once had.

“Roy don’t,” Dick says. “Wait, please! Just--Just. Wait.”

Against his better judgement, Roy stays. It’s mostly out of surprise more than anything else. Dick is looking at him through hooded eyes. It’s the most unsure Roy’s seen him. Dick’s always been so good with words, so sure of himself, so certain of what he wants to do. 

But that’s always been a lie, hasn’t it? There is a pain and sadness on the prince’s shoulders that no one but Roy seems to see; there is a hesitation in his eyes that he keeps well hidden. Once upon a time, Roy would reach out and Dick would let him see those parts of him that no one else was allowed to. 

And there are times when Roy thought that things would be the same, that he still has that unquestioning trust he remembers from when they were children. He sees glimmers of it in Dick’s eyes, the way his hand twitches as if it wants nothing more than to hold onto Roy’s.

But the prince before him is ten years older than the prince who trusted Roy with all his heart. And if there’s one thing Dick’s very good at, it’s running from things he’s scared will hurt him.

“You’re giving me very mixed messages,” Roy finally says. “I don’t know what you want, Dick.” _I don’t know what you want from me._

“I want to dance with you,” Dick says quickly, like he can’t let the words out fast enough, like he has to make it absolutely certain. “I do. Just… I want it to be perfect, alright? Not in some hidden garden while we’re hiding out without any music. You deserve better than that.”

“What are you--”

“I wanted to do it in the courtyard, but there were too many people and I was scared you didn’t want that,” Dick says. “Then I thought we’d dance here, but there’s no music and it’s just ridiculous and--”

Roy lets out a laugh. It comes out a little like a sob. 

“All these years,” he says. “All these years and you’re still a ridiculous romantic.”

Dick flushes, but there’s a stubborn set to his mouth. It makes Roy smile despite himself. His chest still hurts from the rejection, but he doubts there’s anything Dick can do that Roy can’t forgive.

“Meet me at the pier tomorrow at sunset,” Dick says. “And I’ll give you the best dance of your life.”

“Alright,” Roy says. “I’ll hold you to that.” And without letting himself think about it, he unties the mask in one clean motion and hands it to Dick. Dick takes it, almost automatically. “Until tomorrow, your highness.”

Roy turns to leave, pointedly ignoring the ache in his chest, when Dick grabs him by the arms. Roy turns and Dick is suddenly too close, suddenly pressing his lips against Roy’s.

Roy freezes for a second before returning it. It’s different and the same at the same time. Dick still tastes of cinnamon and cider, but his lips are more sure, more practiced. Roy wonders where he learned the differences; he wonders if Dick has trouble recognizing his kisses as well.

 _Another stolen kiss,_ Roy thinks. He’s long since lost count how many they’ve had but they always feel like the first.

Dick pulls away and says, “Until tomorrow.”

\--

The celebrations haven’t subsided one bit by the time Roy returns to the inn. If anything, things have gotten bigger.

He doesn’t care.

He falls asleep to the taste of cinnamon and cider and the memory of Dick’s lips against his.

His dreams are sweeter than they’ve been in years.

\--

_“Have you ever dreamed of running away?” Roy asks. “Of leaving the palace and disappearing into the sunset? Have you ever dreamed of going back home?”_

_Silence. For a long time just silence. Then,_

_“Everyday,” Dick says. A whispered confession. “I want to do it so much my heart aches.”_

_“Then let’s do it,” Roy says. “Let’s run away. Fuck all of this. You hate it anyway. We’re both better off away from here, don’t you think? All that land to explore, all those adventures we could have.”_

_Dick silences him with a kiss. It’s very effective._

_“Don’t be ridiculous,” he says. “We can’t just_ leave. _”_

_“What’s stopping us?”_

_“Everything? The guards won’t let us past the gate, for one thing.”_

_“As if that’s ever stopped you.”_

_“We’re happy here, aren’t we?” Dick says. His smile is frozen in place and there’s a tightness in his voice. “Our lives are here. Our families are here.”_

_Roy knows he shouldn’t push. He hadn’t meant to start an argument at all, not when they were so happy to just be alone together and they had so little time to do so. But it happens more often than not these days. Things are changing, not between the two of them, but around them._

_They’re growing up and going down different paths._

_“Why can’t you just do what you want for once, Dick?” Roy asks quietly. “Just once.”_

_“You know why.” Dick lets out a quiet laugh, looking away. “You know, I feel like one day you’re going to leave me here alone.”_

_“Never,” Roy says._

_“But you want to,” Dick says. “I don’t blame you. I want to leave, too, but Gotham is my home, you know? But I won’t stop you from leaving.”_

_“I’m never going to leave you,” Roy says._

_“I won’t mind,” Dick says, but there’s a quiet sadness in his voice. “I want you to be happy, Roy. But you have to promise me something.”_

_Roy has lost all control of this conversation. Dick sounds so sure, like he’s decided, and Roy has no idea what to do. Maybe Dick’s right or maybe he isn’t, but Roy can’t… He can’t imagine going on any journey without Dick walking at his side._

_Still, he never could deny Dick anything. So he nods._

_“Promise me you’ll come back one day,” Dick says. “You’ll come back and have one dance with me when you do. That’s how I know you still love me. And after, it’s my turn. You can ask anything you want from me and I’ll prove I still love you, too.”_

_It had only been a few hours since they first said those words to each other and it still makes Roy heady with delight. He can’t stop himself from stealing a kiss, and another, and another. It’s the only way for him to let Dick understand how deep his affections run._

_“I’m never going to leave you,” Roy says vehemently. Before he can resist, Roy pulls Dick into an embrace. He holds on as tightly as he can._

_“That’s a good promise, too,” Dick whispers against his hair, holding on just as tightly._

_(Of course, the decision is taken out of their hands. Two months later, Roy walks away without looking back and Dick doesn’t follow._

_There was a lot that had been left unsaid between them, but Roy never forgot that second-to-the-last promise he made._

_Ten years later, he still hasn’t forgotten.)_

\--

Sunset is a bit early for the festival to be in full swing, no matter how enthusiastic the townsfolk are. Some are still hanging up banners or setting up their stalls. Servants from the castle are busy bringing out enough food and wine to feed several armies. Bards are beginning to play music, the tune slow and soft and sweet. Roy doesn’t doubt that there are people who are still in their homes, trying to sleep off the hangover from last night.

No one looks twice at him as he makes his way to the pier at the edges of the city. 

And as Roy’s come to expect, it’s empty. Dick is already waiting for him, the mask tied to his belt. There are candles lighting the way towards him. He’s dressed as a prince should dress, in fine blue and gold silks, and a delicate, silver crown on his head. 

Roy’s breath catches in his throat as music gently drifts in the air, the melody a lullaby and a waltz at the same time. His feet move on their own accord. When he reaches Dick, he notices that the prince is watching him with wide eyes that are full of wonder.

“You came,” Dick breathes.

“You owe me a dance,” Roy says. “Don’t you remember? You’re the one who made me promise, after all.”

“And you remembered?”

“Of course I remember,” Roy says. “I remember all my promises to you, your highness.”

He takes Dick’s hand. He doesn’t know if it’s the candles or the music or the way Dick is looking at him, still with that unnameable emotion in his eyes, but he feels bold tonight. He bows and takes Dick’s hand, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. Their eyes never leave each other’s even once.

“Then dance with me,” Dick says. And that’s all the encouragement Roy needs to pull Dick closer and wrap an arm around his waist. The music’s grown louder at this point, and the setting sun casts Dick in orange light. He looks like he came from a dream, like he popped right out from the stories they read as children. And Roy knows, no matter how many adventures he’s had before this, and no matter how many he has after, it will never begin to compare to the beauty and majesty he’s witnessing now.

For a long time, they just stay in each other’s arms, swaying to the gentle melody in the air. It’s not much of a dance, really, but it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t know how many moments they spend together, but Roy treasures every single one of them more than anything he owns.

Roy wants things to stay this way forever: the two of them, frozen in the orange light of the setting sun, standing too close, swaying to the music.

But he knows better. He has what he came for and he can’t ask for more. He already has more than he could hope to expect. Dick’s already given him too much, already organized the perfect night to give Roy the dance he asked for. It’s more than enough.

(“ _That’s how I know you still love me._ ”)

Roy leans in gently, closer and closer until their foreheads are pressed together. He leans in closer and presses a kiss to Dick’s lips; another thing stolen, another thing so freely given. Roy pulls away before he gets too comfortable in the warmth of Dick’s arms.

He’s taken enough. He’s happy with what he has.

Dick is looking at him, his gaze still unbearably gentle but also sad. Roy understands. The sun has set and the stars risen. It’s their last night together.

“Stay with me,” Dick says. Even though Roy’s pulled away, he couldn’t bring himself to take his hand out of Dick’s. All he can do is nod. The night is young, after all, and Roy wants to savor every moment he has left.

They walk together until they reach the edge of the pier. Dick sits down, feet touching the surface of the water, and Roy sits down next to him.

They don’t say anything for a long time.

The two of them watch the water, shoulder to shoulder. He looks beautiful under the starlight, Roy thinks. He looks like the most beautiful thing in the world. Even with the sadness, the resignation, the exhaustion that’s constantly hanging over him. Dick is the most precious thing Roy’s ever seen and he knows, with absolute certainty, that he’ll do anything to protect it.

“How long until Bruce makes the announcement?” Roy eventually asks.

Dick’s shoulders tense. His eyes are trained on the horizon. “Not long now,” he says.

It’s not right, Roy wants to say, but that would be the wrong thing to say. Dick is the crown prince and he’s devoted to the king. What reason would there be for him not to ascend to the throne.

_Don’t let them kill you, little bird. Don’t let them lock you up until there’s nothing left to find._

“Run away with me,” Roy hears himself say. The offer sits strangely on his tongue, heavier somehow; he hasn’t said it in over ten years. “Leave this all behind and run away with me. I’ll show you the entire world.”

Dick lets out a quiet laugh, gaze still on the horizon. There’s no moon tonight, meaning all the stars are in full view. The pier is a haven of peace amidst all the festivities going on outside. Roy can’t help but think Dick looks more comfortable here, more real.

The crown has always looked wrong on his head, much too heavy and unwieldy; not the kind of thing boys running through fields covered in dirt ought to wear.

(The place holds a lot of memories. Roy’s lost count of the times they sat on its docks, telling stories. They each had their own stories to tell, so it never got boring. And when they finished that, they made up their own tales, about princes and knights and dragons and villages.

And when they got bored with _that,_ they wrestled until someone fell into the water then wrestled some more.

It was a magical time, before life and responsibility and tragedy and everything else in between caught up with them.)

“And then what?” Dick asks. “What will we do?”

“There are lands beyond Gotham,” Roy says. “Lands that haven’t been explored. We used to talk about them when we were kids, didn’t we? Why not look for them now? I’ll show you mountains where dragons sleep, beaches where mermaids play. We’ll explore forests and find all the creatures hidden there.

“We’ll take two horses and nothing else. We’re good enough at hunting to feed ourselves. And we’ll go wherever we like, whenever we want to. No courts to answer to, no kings, no crowns, no royal duties. Just the two of us.”

“We’ll find my parent’s troupe,” Dick murmurs. “They usually head south during the summer, just in time for the festival. It was always beautiful.”

“If you want,” Roy says. He can see it now. Dick’s always spoken of his family’s troupe fondly and with an aching longing. The meeting can’t be anything but beautiful. “We’ll stay with them for as long as you like. You haven’t seen them in years, haven’t you? Oh, they’ll be delighted. They’ll take one look at you and be so proud.”

“Because I’m a rogue prince wandering the lands with a dashing and handsome knight?”

Roy laughs. “Because you’re you,” he says.

Dick squeezes his hand and lets out a breath. The sky is beautiful that night and the pier is quiet save for the music. Outside, the celebrations are in full swing and it’s only a matter of time before they call for their prince.

Their time together has always been short. Roy knows this. But the way Dick’s silence stretches breaks his heart.

“That sounds amazing,” he eventually says. “It really does.”

In all the years Roy’s known him, there’s always been a sadness to Dick that no one else seems to notice. It weighs down his shoulder and dulls the light in his eyes. And no matter how blinding his smile is, it never goes away.

Dick carries it without comment, without noticing he’s doing it, held down and in place by duty and debt and love.

And Roy wants to get angry, wants to rage and shout. He wants to pull Dick close to him, hold him against his chest, and protect him from the world. Wants to whisk the prince away, wants to free him from all the responsibility he never asked for. 

_You’re meant to fly, little bird,_ he wants to say. _Can’t you see what this place is doing to you? You’re going to die if you stay._

But Dick’s never going to leave. And Roy’s never going to be the person who forces him to do anything he doesn’t want to do.

“Thank you,” Dick says. “For these three days. They mean a lot and they’re--” He cuts himself off, an unnameable emotion in his voice. “They made me happy.”

Despite the pain in his chest, Roy smiles. He lifts Dick’s hand and presses a kiss to each fingertip. He takes his time, counting down each second before he has to let go. 

“Then my quest is a success,” he says. “Do I get my boon?”

Dick is looking at him, blue eyes shining with emotion.

“Roy,” he says.

“All I ask for is one more kiss,” he says. “So I have something to remember you by. That’s how I know you still hold me in your heart,” he says without thinking. He instantly regrets it.

(“ _You can ask anything you want from me._ ”)

For a moment, Dick just looks at him and Roy thinks, _oh shit, better start running for the hills and never return for a decade or so._

But then, Dick closes his eyes and leans in. He grabs Roy by the collar and pulls him close. 

His lips are soft and gentle, tasting of honey and cinnamon. The kiss is short and chaste. Roy savors it for all it’s worth.

“Always,” Dick says. 

And after that, the moment is over. The two of them stand up. Dick pulls away and Roy doesn’t reach for him.

“Thank you,” Dick says again. “Thank you for coming back. And for dancing with me.” There’s a moment of gentle, quiet vulnerability before his face clears and the mask of the prince is firmly in place again.

Roy forces himself to grin. 

“I’ll see you around your highness,” he says. “Maybe we’ll have that adventure one day.”

“One day,” Dick echoes.

“And I’ll be more than willing to dance with you again,” Roy says.

“I’ll hold you to that promise,” Dick says.

He gives Roy one last smile, soft and sad. Roy turns and walks away, back to the party and to the crowds and away from the prince he’s loved his entire life. His steps are short and quick, almost a run.

He needs to get away before the pain in his chest rips his heart apart.

He doesn’t hear the king make the announcement. He’s already out of the city at that point.

\--

Roy falls asleep in a forest just outside the city. The music still reaches him, and it makes it harder to close his eyes, makes it harder to not just get up and run away into the night.

He wakes in the morning, feeling more exhausted than he did at night. His chest aches but it’s alright. It’s a hurt he’s learned to ignore by now.

If he had any dreams, he doesn’t remember them.

\--

“You’re a hard man to find.”

Three months later finds Roy at the edges of the kingdom. He’s been wandering for a while now, never staying in one place too long. He picks directions at random and tends to keep away from towns and villages. He’d rather not hear any news or gossip at all, especially about the kingdom’s new king.

When he hears that voice and smells that familiar scent of cinnamon and cider again, Roy’s leaning against a tree, facing east and watching the sun rise.

Roy absolutely does _not_ jump in surprise. And his head absolutely does not whip around to come face to face, once again with Gotham’s crown prince.

“That’s kind of the point,” Roy says faintly. Dick’s standing before him, clothes dirty and travel worn. They don’t look anything like a prince would wear. If anything, his tunic looks like something _Roy_ would wear if he had a particularly bad month.

But despite that, Dick’s wearing a smile on his face, bright enough to rival the sun rising behind Roy.

“What are you doing here?” Roy demands. “Don’t you have a kingdom to run? Why do you look like that? Did you get lost? Have you been kidnapped? Do you need rescuing?”

To his surprise, Dick laughs. The field they’re standing in is empty and the sound rings loud and clear.

“You really are a knight errant,” he says. “Just like the stories.”

“What are you doing here, Dick?”

Dick looks at him, gaze bright and steady and filled to the brim with… with…

“I’ve been looking for you,” he says. “Before you left, you made me an offer to see the world. Now I’m asking if you’d still have me.”

“But the kingdom…” Roy says. It’s all he can manage. His heart is pounding in his chest and it feels like the world has narrowed down to just the two of them, to Dick looking at him with those blue eyes and saying words Roy never even dared to dream of. “You’re the king.”

“Not anymore,” Dick says. “I couldn’t stand it and abdicated after two weeks. Officially, Jason’s in charge but Tim’s probably doing most of the work.”

“... Abdicated?”

“I’ve been looking for you for two months,” Dick says. “You’re a hard man to find, Roy Harper.”

Before Dick even finishes speaking, Roy’s surging forward and throwing his arms around Dick’s shoulders. He can’t help himself. How could he, when Dick looks as if he came from a dream and is happier than Roy’s ever seen him.

What he’s saying, once Roy would have thought those things impossible; Dick would never abandon his duty. But he should have known better. Dick and impossible never belonged in the same sentence.

“You wanted me to do what I want,” Dick murmurs. Their foreheads are pressed together, breaths mixing. “This is me doing that, if you’ll still have me.”

Roy should ask more questions; there are so many more stories they have to tell each other and things that have to be explained. Concerns of the kingdom, of crowns, of courts, of families, and Roy doesn’t care about any of them.

Dick is in his arms and that’s the only thing that matters.

“Roy?” Dick asks, voice more tentative.

Roy kisses him as an answer and the way Dick melts into it is the most beautiful thing in the world.

Dick rolls his eyes, not letting go of Roy's hand. The way he lays his head on Roy's shoulder feels like the most natural thing in the world.

"Forever, stupid," he says. "I'll stay with you forever."

_… and they lived happily ever after._

**Author's Note:**

> Some notes:
> 
> \- Dick and Roy are mashups of literally every Disney movie out there. If it happened in a Disney movie, they have either done it as well, thought of doing it, or will do it in the future.  
> \- Roy has met many magical creatures and is friends with most of them.  
> \- Dick carries cinnamon treats with him at all times, no matter the situation, even when it is functionally impossible for him to have cinnamon treats on him. It's his literal superpower.  
> \- I wanted Roy to have an animal sidekick, but couldn't figure out where to put it. So just imagine a tiny little chipmunk watching the events of this entire fic with the most exasperated look possible. Honestly, he leaves Roy for _one day._  
>  \- Dick totally had an 'I want song' during his birthday celebration, just after Roy left. And it has a reprise in his two week stint as king where he tells Bruce through the power of song that he really hates being king and would really prefer to just run off to the sunset with Roy. Because it would not be a Disney movie if someone isn't defying the expectations of their strict father.
> 
> I'm on [tumblr](https://www.acediscowlng.tumblr.com) if y'all want to chat. Thank you so much for reading and, as always, your comments give me life <3


End file.
